Friday, December 31, 2010

For December Thirty-First, the last day of Twenty-Ten (!!!!!!!), "Illustration Friday's" topic is "Resolutions."

Above is my submission, which I created a while ago. It is a fashion illustration entitled "The Prom-Ised Land." And yes, it is a pun on the phrase, "promised land," and a pun on proms. A couple more fashion illos, as well as all of my "Color Works," can be seen at that section of my website:http://drawdvl.com/color-works.html.

I'm not quite sure if the dance-going-gals in my picture are making resolutions, but one is reading, and the other is taking notes in her book, so it is possible.

However, it is one of my goals to draw more fashion illos this year, and I will admit that's the real reason I posted this for the theme this week. It's a visual reminder for me to sharpen my pencil, make sure I have enough ink, and to get to work!

Speaking of resolutions, I just looked at my resolutions for last year. At least, the ones I posted late last January on Blogspot. I wrote an entry where I said, I was resolved "To update this blog more! Or, er... ahem, ahem, at all." And on that front, I met a resolution. I have posted this year, and gotten to read the posts of many cool illustrators and artists. Yay!

To see this at the site and to check out all of the great things resolutions people are making and creating as art this week, please go to http://illustrationfriday.com.

On that note, I am off. I wish everyone a huggy, happy, healthy New Year's Eve and New Year. Be safe and keep drawing! If you draw, of course :-D If not, keep at whatever it is that you love.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Wow! So, this week's Inspiration Avenue Challenge is a great one. It is a bit intense, and daunting, but those things are usually what get you going in the first place. On the side is my submission, and below that is the ensuing challenge and explanation. I apologize, given that I can tell already I am going to end up writing more than I intended to.

The Challenge:

"Your challenge is to look at your craft or art and ask yourself have you accomplished what you wanted to this past year. What are your goals for the next year? Is there something that you have been thinking about in your craft? A new direction perhaps? Take a leap into the New Year and give us a glimpse of where you want your art to be by the next New Year's Eve."

I'm always reluctant to verbalize (or in this case... screenalize? type?) wishes or resolutions or what not of mine. This is because I am somewhat of the belief that the more you talk about doing a thing, the less likely you seem to actually go and do it. So, while not shy in many many arenas of life, this one instance where I feel a bit clammed up-- as well as superstitious, per what I just said about not wanting to talk and not do. But, I can still say a few things. Which, knowing me, will read as a lot more than a few and go on and on.

Art-wise, I always feel like there is more that I can and should do. In general, and with art, I find that no matter how much I'm doing, I always want to do more. Next year, among a ton of other things, I want to focus even more on children's illustrations, fashion illustrations (I do love patterns, clothes, and putting characters in fun clothes in fun poses), actually uploading things to my etsy, and making more comics. I also miss doing black and white illustrations, and while there aren't enough hours in the day, I aim to have that not be a nuisance (-;

This year, I am happy about going to conventions and having my own table/a split table with artist friends or colleagues (as I've worked many a convention sans/little pay, while not even selling my own stuff, in the past), to have been part of group gallery shows, to have been able to do much work on my greeting cards, and to have met great people at art fairs, art galleries, and comic conventions.

In 2010, though, the thing that was most exciting to me was writing and drawing a comic story for an anthology coming out in late December/January (that's now, eep--!!), called "The Samurai Project." I used to create my own comics, then took a break because of being busy with art and cards (as well as once working in comics), so it felt quite good to return to creating art in that form. Since this story took a few months to work on this year, and was this year's biggest project for me, it's what I included in this I.A. submission.

The page I showed in this blog is also one of the pages that the organizer of the "Samurai Project" (Karl Altstaetter) posted to the project blog. Karl took the time to talk to every artist who worked on the project about their story. If anyone is curious to read somewhat of an explanation of what my story, "The Nightingale And The Warrior" is about, the link is here:

On one last art note, this year I have begun posting regularly on Illustration Friday, and more recently begun regular posts on Creative Tuesday, Web of Whimsy Wednesdays, and here, on Inspiration Avenue. I really like being able to read other people's thoughts, see their drawings, and connect with other artists that, without the advent of the internet, I'd have never been able to do. So, I am grateful that I get to connect and talk with other artists, and that we have virtual platforms with which to show one another work.

Overall, I hope everyone can push forward, onward, and upward, from last year to this year. It is always easier said than done, but I hope everyone can be happy, healthy, and well. Happy Drawing and Happy Early New Year!

Hugs (this is so long I feel I have to sign it like it's a letter),

Donna

P.S.

If any readers here are interested in comics, I'm including some info.

Karl is a comic book artist, Jamie is a comic book writer, and both are super-talented, kind individuals. They gave countless hours of help to every artist on the project and I owe them a ton. I'm also very happy to have met them and GerimiBurleigh, Dan Smith, Jesse Toves, and the other people involved in a very cool project.

Information on ordering the "Samurai Project" book itself can be found here:

Thursday, December 23, 2010

I am very happy to be discovering so many blogs where illustrators can have a dialogue with one another and share work. I'm also very happy to have been included on the Illustration Rally blog last week! The blog has of late been focusing on the theme of Christmas Art, and they were kind enough to include a post of my Christmas Cards:http://illustrationrally.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-no-13.htmlAs per the blog's description on Twitter, Illustration Rally "is a massive international rolling collaboration which takes a theme and runs with it," and it is managed by the lovely Natsuki Otani-- a U.K. based illustrator with wonderful illustrations, whose work can be seen at: http://www.natsukiotani.co.uk/. Another blog I am a new fan of is "Web of Whimsy," where for this week's challenge I am submitting a Romantic/Valentine's Day Card I made some time ago. Submission is below!

I think the caption was something to the effect of "You're a Fox, Valentine!" or, "You're So Foxy!"

However, truth be told, I am quite tired from a near all nighter (O, Delayed Travel, What Fun Thou Art) so I do not recall exactly what the card said on the inside. In any case, other cards like this one, in the Romantic/Valentine's Day vein, can be found here on this portion of my website: http://drawdvl.com/romantic-cards.html.

I realize it's Holiday-Time, but the card is Holiday-esque (just not referencing the one coming up). I also thought to post it since Dan Haase's drawing this week on the homepage was of a bunny, which made me think of other woodland creatures. In a perfect, children's book style world, bunnies and foxes play side by side. Perhaps I will make a drawing along these lines at some point.

In any event, congratulations to Ronni Ann Hall! She was crowned this week's "Wizard of Whimsy," and the winning post is here:

Friday, December 17, 2010

I usually label each picture individually as to what it is when posting multiple things, but because Blogger is being bizarre with its formatting today, I'm just going to describe the pictures I've posted here.

The first picture is a quick sketch I did with some brush pens to test them out before I bought them. I picked them up from Lyon's Art Store in Downtown Long Beach yesterday, as I was in town for the Basement Lounge's Secret Santa Toy Drive and Art Sale.

I did said sketch on the side of my cup of coffee (which I meant to save, but accidentally chucked :-( boo) to test out the pens, and then liked the whole light blue, royal blue, black, gold, and silver look. While killing time before the show, I started a quick drawing. I haven't done a lot of work that is specifically "pin-ups," but I've been meaning to get into it, so I started something. I worked on it before the show at The Basement, and while at the Basement I had some time, so I worked on it while at the table. It was basically accidentally doing live-art, and it was unexpected, as well as fun.

It's totally morphed into nothing like I would have expected, though. It went from being semi pin-uppy to quite dark (and probably a reflection of the fact that "Black Swan" is now eternally in my conciousness, even though I didn't even think of that until someone who saw the work said, "That looks like that new ballet movie that's out right now!")

Anyway, as I kept going, the initial pin-up girl seemed very fish-like and watery, so I kept drawing and ended up drawing an antagonist for her. I'm now calling this "Oil And Water," since that's what it seems to look like.

The below pictures feature Fuzzles The Koala staring at this with curiosity, close-ups of the outfits worn by both characters, then close-ups of their faces and bodies.

Now to figure out what to do with the background. *Winnie The Pooh Voice* "Think think think..."

My submission is on topic, if vaguely, as the protagonist in the foreground is reading a letter. Did she receive it in the mail, or is she about to send it in the mail? Either way, it looks a bit foreboding, as she's also taken off her ring while reading it.

The title of this piece is "All I Want For Christmas," and it's an ink drawing I did some time ago. Perhaps the happy couple in the background are a bitter reminder for the protagonist of what her life is now, perhaps they're a flashback of her former life, or perhaps it's just an unfortunate coincidence. Isn't the time when you'd least like to see or hear certain conversations the time when they inevitably end up in your face?

The Holidays are an especially intense time to not feel Christmasy and cheery, so when I made this piece I thought the themes in it would be particularly driven home if, in addition to the juxtaposition of all the character's lives, it was also set during Christmas.

Luckily, most of my seasonal/Chanukah/Christmas work is in the form of cards, and therefore happy and enjoyable to draw. But it was fun and interesting to do something off the norm!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

So, while I usually post cards, for this week's "Web of Whimsy/Whimsical Wednesday," I decided to post a piece from a while ago that I felt was whimsical. The title is, "Woe Is Bottom."

Bottom, of course, refers to the character at the right of the page (and it is a "Midsummer Night's Dream" reference).

Except in my illustration, "Midsummer" is mixed with "The Old Woman In The Wood"-- an old fairy tale which features a tree-man. He is actually a human being trapped inside the tree by cruel magic, hence his woodsy and human characteristics (below is the story itself, for anyone interested:

It's Esther Toni, who submitted a wonderfully funny and realistic cartoon of a little hamster eating animal crackers in the shape of people-- which, I guess in reverse, is how we seem to little critters. I love her work very much, and I wish that hamster drawing could pop off the page, be adoptable, and then taken home! I wanted a hamster quite badly when I was little, and so the illo also spoke to me on that level.

Happy Webbing and Whimsy-ing! That didn't make sense, but luckily, when things are whimsical that's not really a requirement.

Monday, December 13, 2010

This week's topic for Inspiration Avenue is "Believe," and below is my contribution:

It's a holiday greeting card I made, with a Dad/Daughter theme.

The caption for this card says, "I've Made A List, I've Checked It Twice, The Verdict's In--You're Very Nice!"

I thought it fit the theme of "Believe" on a few levels. It's why I debated between posting this image and my Santa Card image, which definitely fit the theme of "Believe," but I thought more simply. In this image, the Dad is making a list (either the proverbial list in the Santa rhyme, or an actual list of things to buy), which is a Santa-esque thing to do, and which in turn can keep the girl believing in Santa and loving Christmas.

However, whether she actually believes or not in Santa (perhaps with her watching her Dad, she suspects he's merely acting as Santa's helper/messenger/the go-between between the two), she can still believe in the holiday, giving, and the love of her family. I think it says about the good parts of this season--love, giving, being grateful for things, and wanting to make others happy-- when parents/big sisters/big brothers/anyone makes sure to give someone a gift, while also giving a kid something fun to believe in.

The idea of belief and believing, to me, also includes things that are fanciful and whimsical. Things that kids take at face value, but that grown-ups might make a double take when hearing. So, I wanted the swirling ink-lines of the Dad's ink-nib when writing to fly around in shapes, as well as the images from the letter he's writing to pour upwards in almost a surrealistic way. Perhaps the dancing pets/animals/bird with a girl indicate that she has been nice and played with animals this year, or that she will get one of her own.

Friday, December 10, 2010

This week's topic, phenomenon, caused me to think of cultural phenomena associated with the holidays. Given that this time of year makes me happy, and that I am a big dance fan (as evidenced in my prior post) I thought of "The Nutcracker" and Sugar Plum Fairies.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

"The Nutcracker" was the first ever ballet that I saw. I remember being seven, and I hink I saw the production that was done at SUNY Purchase. It was very, very good. I was totally enthralled by the movement, the costumes, and how much was going on. It actually inspired me to get into dance myself. I took ballet class from when I was eight through when I was twelve, before moving onto sports and learning modern/jazz/hip-hop when in my h.s. theatre program, and then dancing in college.

Speaking of Tchaikovsky and his great works, I saw "Black Swan" earlier this week-hence the above screencap.

The characters in the film are putting on a production of his classic "Swan Lake," although with more of an "edge" than the ballet has usually. I am still recovering from having seen it. I mean that in a good way. It was beautiful, yet very dark and disturbing. Without giving anything away, along with the extremely intense visuals, a lot is done with sound in that movie.

Consequently, the first couple of days after I saw it, the littlest noises I heard when walking places made me do a double take. I think I want to see it again, because it was so well done and it was a spectacle to behold. It was also inspirational, image-wise, for drawing ideas.

I miss doing more contemporary styles of dance and I keep meaning to get back into it. And, I still love ballet. It's a physically incredible dance form, so it's amazing to watch the dancers. That ballets themselves tell elaborate stories is pretty great.

I love the costumes, and many of my cards (as well as sketchbook doodles) end up featuring characters, either fairy or human, who are dancing or in dance costumes-above is a screencap of Natalie Portman's character in costume, and one of my favorite shots in the movie.

All that being said about ballet... the recitals, costumes, and final recital at the end of the year were always fun. Yet, in practice, I found I liked other types of dance better (in no small part because of being young and impatient, and being antsy that so much of the practice was at the barre or floor exercises, very repetitious, with the practice of actual dance choreography jammed into the end of class), and after seeing "Black Swan," I think mayhaps not being a ballerina was a good choice. I am awed at those who can handle it, but I do not think I'd have been among them.

I also think modern dance and movement companies are able to do tremendous, exciting things because those kinds of kinesthetics lend themselves to being more open than a more rigid dance form like ballet does. I am lucky enough to know talented dancer/choreographers in these realms.

One such creator is Cristina Jasen, pictured above.

Cristina is a close friend of mine from college, and has been dancing and choreographing nonstop since graduation with her company, "SAWTOOTH dancers." Videos, photographs, and overall media about the great work she's doing in NYC are at her website, here:

And with those musings, I am off. I will say that I regret that I chose to not go the toe-shoe track, as my apartment flooded earlier this evening, and it would have been amusing/interesting to toeshoe around so as not to step on the water before it was wet-vacced away.

Oh well. I suppose that's what rain boots are for :-) With daises on them.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

So, today is Whimsical Wednesday. Last week I posted a bit late, this week I am posting early. Or, on the first day itself. Wonders will never cease !! Anyhow. My contribution is below:

I believe this card of mine was blank. While I love making up captions and puns and things to make people smile or laugh, I also make cards without anything inside so they are able to personalized. The original can be found in the cards for "Family and Friends" section of my website: http://drawdvl.com/family-and-friends-cards.html.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

So this is a repost! I am posting again to correct my earlier mistake. "Creative Tuesday" came up with the great theme of "holiday," which I posted a week prematurely, but here I am posting it again on time. Actually, I am a little late, but I think it will make it just barely!

This Holiday Card's original caption was, "You Make My Spirits Soar!"

As with my other cards, I created it with an underline of Pencil, fuller outlines with a Micron Brush Pen (I either use those or Pitt Cartooning Pens, with both brush or fine tips) and Tombo Markers.

Here is the link for this week's Creative Tuesday, and where everyone's entries, comments, and the like can be seen:

Monday, December 6, 2010

Here is my submission for Inspiration Avenue, a website where artists are invited to post their responses to different topics each week. This week's theme is "peace."

I have been sitting and making greeting cards non-stop today, and this is one such card. I posted this for the challenge, since it was an image that made me feel relaxed when I drew it, and one that I felt where the characters illustrated were at peace. The kind of peace you feel when in the presence of good company, when your mind can be at rest, and you can sit in front of the fire and sigh with a smile on your face. I guess what people hope to feel during the holiday season, even though that sadly gets lost a lot of the time. I think it's important to be at peace within yourself, and with the people in your life, as much as possible. I think if more people were at peace with themselves, then there would be less turmoil on a grander scale worldwide. I hope things can get better for everyone, everywhere.

Thank you again to the creators of "Inspiration Avenue," and I'm looking forward to everyone's interpretations on the topic.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

So, courtesy of Dan Haase and his kind commentary on my blog, I have now discovered Web of Whimsy! Like Illustration Friday in concept, you can put up your posts throughout the week, starting on Wednesday on, to then be viewed on Wednesday. I am excited to be discovering all of these cool sharing illo, photo, image, etcetera sites online.

As a lover of childhood, children's books, cartoon characters, and other such things, I am happy to have found Web of Whimsy. For this week, my submission is a newly created Holiday Greeting Card. Shown Below:

"The common human experience is suffering - sorrow and sadness mark much of the world. My invitation is to bring a bit of delight into the despair. I spend a lot of time with children and in turn they have taught me how to play. So, come and join the fun."

This quote from "Web Of Whimsy" made me smile, and I hope makes other Whimsical People submitting to the site smile as well.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

This blog is a bit of a works-in-progress blog, but mostly a "just 'cuz" kind of blog. I blogged last evening, posting an illo that had a beachy summer feel to it, but who am I kidding? It's wintertime, on both coasts, so I should get on with the more Holiday themed working, blogging, etcetera. I mostly spend time just posting work and not writing much. Maybe it could be fun to write a bit more? Hrmm, hrmm....

Even in L.A., it's pretty cold. Not bone-chilling/face-biting cold the way it was when I just visited home to New York for Turkey Day, but quite cold nonetheless. I have to burrow under my comforters, blankets, and plushie toys to keep warm at night. Today is a little warmer. But, it still feels Christmasy. It's sunny, but just crisp enough and with enough decorations (and with enough places playing seasonal music) to feel like that time of the year.

The above picture seems to have an ethereal glow. That's from the admittedly poor quality of my cell phone camera. Although I do find it amusing, since it was a quite yummy drink, that it's somewhat divinely glowing in this photo.

I picked this up from a street vendor in Bryant Park NYC last week, and it was called a "White Christmas." Basically, a hot vanilla drink. Hot chocolate's blander and more seasonal cousin, with whipped cream and some chocolate syrup on top. It was good, but I wish I'd gone to Lily O'Brien's instead for a full on espresso/mocha concoction. For those unawares, that's an amazing coffee and chocolate place right on the other side of the park. I am quite obsessed and am always fueling my chocoholism there when in Nueva York.

Speaking of things I am obsessed with, here is a picture of me at a cafe in NYC, wearing my cat hat: of which I am also obsessed. I picked it up in San Francisco last June near Union Square, and it was made by a street vendor. While not official Hello Kitty wear, and hand-knit, I'm pretty sure it was meant to look like Hello Kitty.

I'm a big fan of hers, and I find this hat warm, comfortable, and cute. I had no idea when I bought it, though, that so many people would be unable to handle it. I'm being completely serious. Most of the time, people think it's fun, but still point and go-- "OMIGOD! IS THAT HELLO KITTY?" And I explain how yes, I am more or less sure it's her, but it is handmade, etc. It's a little weird that a hat actually causes people to stop what they're doing, point, and get all excited (um, it's just a hat??), but I don't really mind.

What I do find choice, however, is that I've actually gotten harassed during-- and for-- wearing it. In San Francisco itself, no less, where the silly thing is from! I can wear it without fuss in most of the city... but I attempted to wear it while out in the Marina, and... yeahhhhh. Cow Hollow, as it turns out, is not my scene. I don't really hang out in preppier/frat-housier party places to begin with, but it doesn't bother me so long as people live and let live. However, after having been cat-called (and just in the "bother bother bother, you look different" way, not in the hitting on way) because of wearing a cat hat-- by inebriated people well into their twenties to forties-- methinks I will A), when in San Fransisco, absolutely not hang around there, especially post-happy hour, and B), leave Miss Kitty at home so as not to attract attention, should I need to be in that area for any reason. I had no idea such foolery even existed up North, but then again, S.F. is pretty big and all neighborhoods have their own, ehrm, flavor.

But, back to La Gran Manzana. You can pretty much do anything in NYC and nobody bats an eye, so I was able to keep warm in the hat. People commented, but nobody acted like a personchild about it, which I quite appreciated.

The above is a picture of the tables in a cafe I went to to get some work done. The cafe was very mod and had a European feel, and if I can remember the name of it, it would be cool to go back there. I ducked into it by chance to kill some time and escape the wind before meeting a friend, and was immediately warmed up. As well as pleasantly surprised.

Same cafe. COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIES... I did not partake... but still. COOOOOOOOOOOOKIES!

I huddled up in the corner so as to not freeze, and to focus on the card making. This picture is of some cards in progress, and the hot chocolate (that hot vanilla didn't tide me over, after all) I drank to spur me forth.

A bird's eye view shot of my table, with that same hot chocolate and some cards-in-progress.

This photo is from the other day, post-return, at a cafe in Pasadena where I plopped down to draw some cards. Still blurry, but the card detail is a little clearer here. Of course, Fuzzles The Great happened to be in my bag and popped out to keep me on drawing task and review my works ^_______^

This calendar is awesome. I went to a local uni for a concert, and saw many calendars I liked in the bookstore. "Poopy Puppies" was a favorite, as it's all pictures of exhausted baby dogs being cute. I'm sure everyone in the place thought me mad when I started jumping up and down all excited at said calendar... but, oh well. I can't hide my excitement for furry creatures (-: Anyway, I'm a big fan of those fifties pin-up images with snarky captions, so this calendar was a welcome find. I took a picture with it just for kicks, and since the cover image aligns fairly well with my surpressed wishes at Blair Waldorf-dom. Note, not the part of Blairdom that is unkind for no reason/mean-girl/classist side, but the funny, snarky, cunning-biatch-who-gets-things-done/gets-back-at-wrongdoers part of Blairdom.

And, courtsey of an article I saw on Huffpo, I can close this post with PENGUINS!

South Korea apparently had a Christmas Parade at a large Amusement Park in the country, which these adorable little guys featured in prominently. I'll present their cuteness sans commentary, but I will say that I may have to make some greeting cards inspired by how happy, sweet, and cool both the birds and the humans featured in these photos are.

I learned a lot about South Korea and Seoul from my past days editing Manhwa comics, and it's always pretty cool to see stuff going on in South Korea. It would be really cool to travel there someday.

On a somber note, I really hope everyone out there is safe

:-( Prayers and wishes to both South Korea and North Korea, and I do honestly wish everyone worldwide could come to peace with one another.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

I am pretty consumed with life, work, the upcoming Sharpie Show at Crewest Gallery (Check it out in Downtown Los Angeles this weekend, with details lower down in this post!), but I thought to post an illustration quickly. I am tired and need to retire to bed shortly, but wanted to quickly update beforehand.

I am working on Winter themed and Holiday Time themed cards right now, but as a break from all the cold snowy themed things, I am posting an illustration with some fun. Or some sun. Possibly, both. Hopefully, both! I should carry on and stop typing because my tired-self is rambling.

This greeting card says "You Quack Me Up, Babe!" Because of the puns of the little girl with her ducky friends, both the toy one and the regular one.

As this illo has birds, I want to also share this quote about birds:

"Those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art." Izaak Walton

It may not apply as much to ducks, as quacks aren't as melodious as, say, nightingales... but it's a nice quote, nonetheless.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

So, I just learned of this nifty thing called "Creative Tuesday," which makes me happy as now I have multiple weekly illustration topics to post. "Illustration Friday" is very fun, and a new midweek one looks to also be quite enjoyable.

This week's theme is "Holidays," and while it's Christmas-y, I thought to post this card since it does fall under the overall "Holidays" umbrella. It was made with an underline of Pencil, then filled in with a Pitt Cartooning Pen and Tombo Markers.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

I am excited to be in a show that has opened and shall close soon, and in another upcoming show. I'll mention the former now, with some quick information in case anyone near (or who ventures into) West Hollywood would like to check it out!

The show is called "The Gift Shop Show" (as it's Holiday Time), and it is on until December 11th at the "Another Year In L.A." Gallery, housed within the big blue Pacific Design Center Space on Melrose Avenue, in Suite B267.

My ink and watercolor painting in the show is called "Cindy's Merry Unbirthday," shown below, with Dr. Seuss's cast of characters populating "Alice in Wonderland's" mad tea party. Cindy, for these purposes, is Alice. Who everyone else is can rather clearly be seen, mehopes ;-)

Lastly. Given the content of the piece I am posting, and after coming across some of my favorite Lewis Carroll Quotes, I thought to share them in this blog entry.

"Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

Lewis Carroll

"I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then."

Lewis Carroll

"She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it)."

Lewis Caroll

To be honest, what's considered logical is often... well, not; depending on the day (and even if it's been the calmest of days), life barrels through in such a way that we are not the same people as events keep occuring; and, of course, I very much agree with the last quote: it is very easy to give others (and perhaps yourself) advice, but it is always difficult to follow that advice.

Although, some advice I might give myself would be to not waste too much time online! Which, I will actually follow, in hopes of being productive and making new drawings.

Friday, November 26, 2010

So, I will make this post short and sweet (much like cookies, which I suppose are more "small" and sweet than "short" and sweet, but I digress).

This week's topic is savour, and as I like to savour cookies when eating them (and the dough when baking them), here is my contribution to the topic:This is from a Holiday Card of mine that says "Hope your Holidays are Super Sweet!" Figured to submit something that was on topic, and also on season, now that we have officially reached Black Friday and have passed from T-Day time to Holiday Time.

Friday, November 19, 2010

This week's illustration Friday theme is "Sneaky," which is great fun.

I am submitting this piece called "Ignorance is Bliss," which features a pirate ship sneaking up on a Girl (a Mermaid, I guess) and her little animal friends, some of whom realize the attack-- but many of whom are being successfully snuck up on.

While many people I know are not fans of mice or possums, especially, I hope the little guys in this picture are friendly and furry enough to not make anyone cringe. I actually think possums are quite cute, especially with little ones on their backs-- hence my drawing them in this piece. I'm more afraid of, say, a scorpion carrying little ones on her back than a fuzzy possum. But that probably has much to do with the big poison stinger always hovering about.

In any event, to see this at the site, as well more illustrations on this week's topic of "Sneaky" (and last week's topic of "Burning") go to http://illustrationfriday.com.

On a side note...

Since the topic is "sneaky," it occurs to me I wish I had an illo to submit with raccoons in it.

Seeing as they have masked faces, they are often drawn in cartoons as bandits, and they are constantly sneaking through garbage cans for a snack.

I find them quite cute, although they are pesky when they take up residence in attics, and it becomes a big mess when trying to get them out of rooftops and houses when you refuse to hurt them, or worse :-(. "Over the Hedge" was right, since the East Coast suburbs have sprawled too much into the land of animals, which is why they are constantly burrowing into people's houses and gardens and such-- the houses are too on top of each other and there's nowhere for squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, mice, even skunks, etc. to go.

I guess it's a problem in the L.A. area too... speaking of sprawl, people's houses encroaching on animal's lands, and so forth. Although, I hear more about skunks (and have only ever seen) skunks and squirrels and coyotes, even, in the residential parts of L.A. But never raccoons.

In general, it can be quite the Mishigas (yes, being from New York, I know some Yiddish) when woodland animals and people are so on top of each other that:

A) People get territorial and/or violent when keeping animals out of their space, either out of overwrought irritation at the animals or at terror that the wildlife could have disease/physically harm them, their children, their pets, etc.

Or,

B) The wildlife is so accustomed to having humans around, and in their space, that even without being infected with Rabies (which is known to make animals not afraid and even aggressive around people), they get too comfortable around people and may even attack them for food, territory, etc. I know in Rye (not where I'm from, but a nearby suburb to where I grew up that's also just north of NYC) there is currently a pretty big problem of Raccoons attacking schoolchildren in that area. Subsequently, some people are shooting at the raccoons. I'm unclear as to whether or not that's people who own firearms personally, or if that's a governmental strategy. Either way, I wish the city was able to really figure out a way to safely tranquilize and trap the raccoons and drive them farther upstate to real foresty areas (which the suburbs aren't, a few trees does not a proper woods make), where they could properly exist, have a real habitat (where garbage wouldn't be a three course meal), in turn they couldn't threaten people, and so on. Shooting them is likely cheaper, but not right :-( I don't make the rules, but I can make sad faces at them.

I myself would like for people and critters to all be friends, but unfortunately, real life is not necessarily like the parts of "Snow White" or "Enchanted" where the animals and a human are all BFF. Things like extermination, animal attacks, and human encroachment on habitats have kind of prevented that. Sigh.

I remember when I was very little, one night, a tree fell outside my house.

I sat in a room of my house that had bushes up against it where I could see Con-Ed trying to clean everything up, face pressed against the glass, squinting to see exactly what they were doing.

I quickly forgot about them and the big lights and the truck, because a little raccoon scampered through the bush and was directly on the other side of the glass to my face. I don't know if that meant it was Rabid or not because it wasn't scared of me, but I remember vaguely it was tiny, so I think it was just not full-grown and therefore not knowledgeable enough to "know" to be afraid of a person. The raccoon possibly could have come out of the fallen tree, I guess.

We had a staring contest for a little while, and it was pretty cool. We were mutually fascinated with one another's very different faces.

Eventually, the little guy got bored and wandered off. I probably went back to watching the tree-clean up, but I remember the raccoon, and not much of anything else.

In any event, this blog has gotten rambly and long. Possibly because I have been feverish and headachey for days and am not entirely in my right mind. Oh well. I do know that right mind or not, animals are cute and the bestest.

Friday, November 12, 2010

I've wanted to blog more of late, but just haven't had time. Fortunately, "Illustration Friday" gives me a platform to show work. And I am happy that it prompts me to blog :-) Yay yay.

This week's topic is "Burning," and I am submitting a piece I did called "The Fires of Guilt."

I actually posted this illo that I am submitting for I.F. over a year ago, along with two others that feature dragons. If you're at all curious, feel free to click here: "Draggin' Along." Below, I am copying and pasting the explanation I did for the piece back then:

"I did (this) after reading a poem about Indonesia that really struck me. I don't recall if it was formally published or not (a former teacher of mine gave it to me from a book she'd found), but it was talking (basically) about the dichotomy of poverty and riches in Indonesia, especially with tourists being in the latter category. There was a line about the tea being made with fire, and the whole passage made it abundantly clear how difficult and painful it can literally be to farm the tea, while the people who drink it just kind of sit around comfortably, without consequence. I wish I could find it to explain it better, but the drawing I did will have to suffice as my interpretation and explanation."

So, there we go. Hopefully, either with some blogging free time or with next week's I.F. topic, I'll be able to post something a big more cheery. Both this illo and last week's are a bit dark. Perhaps soon I will again get the chance to submit a cheery and smiley Greeting Card.

Friday, November 5, 2010

This week's "Illustration Friday" theme is "Afterwards," so I am submitting a piece I did which... well, I think (or at least hope) that it's fairly obvious the piece represents what happens after love doesn't go well.

The title of this piece is "Requiem for A Heart."

To check out more I.F. entries on the topic of "Afterwards," and last week's topic of "Spent," please go to the I.F. page: http://illustrationfriday.com/

And on an unrelated note, if you are a Los Angeles resident interested in the arts, please know that Barnsdall Art Park-- right at the city center, by the intersection of Sunset and Vermont-- is in danger of being shut, and/or privatized, which for many people would mean it would become as good as shut. Privatization means an increased cost in classes, an elitist approach, and an overall revamping of the fact that the park was meant-- and is still supposed to be-- as a public park with theatre, gallery shows, and education available and accessible to all.

If you're in the SoCal Area, please come to the Long Beach Convention Center between 1:00 PM until 8:00 PM tonight, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM tomorrow, and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Halloween, Sunday. It promises to be a great convention and a good time. Check out the booth I'm sharing at Booth 801.

Friday, October 22, 2010

This week's theme is "Racing," and without further ado, here's my submission:

This holiday card, in its original form, has a pun about having a "wheelie good" holiday season. But, I imagine that this lad and lass are going to go for a friendly bike race, before curling up by a fire and with hot chocolate (and/or apple cider, although together that might be rough on the tummy and strange). In any event, they are a pair, about to go biking, and potentially racing. And, theme.

So, this blog is partially a blog for the world, and partially an open letter to Dave and Amer, since the blog they posted about the con hit a nerve and inspired me. It also acknowledges the existence of a totally awesome person: LYNDA BARRY!

(I also had to include this fangirl picture, because I am so happy I met her! So lovely, kind, and talented. Yay! But the writing about her is the cheery part of this blog entry, so that is last ;-) heh. )

I unfortunately did not end up making it out to Weekend of Horrors, but I certainly feel as if I was there after reading such a descriptive account of events --!! The pictures of Dave and Amer's table and works looked great, and I hope the good people overshadowed those who were behaving ridiculously, and without any gratitude or grace to their fellow vendors/fans.

Long story short, this began by my responding to the fact that Amer met one of his idols (a well known horror genre actor), who still couldn’t manage to be polite to a fan (who was a fellow vendor, at that --!!), even after said fan had bought an autograph.

However, as this blog entry of mine is verrrrrry long, I am only mentioning that bare bones detail. The full story is at their blog, although I quoted my favorite lines to respond to below.

Wonderful blog, and I'm sorry you guys had to go through that. These in particular stuck out to me, for the A+ Sentiment and great writing:

"You have NO IDEA who we are, how dare you belittle us like that. You will soon find out who we are, You act like some big shot - You are simply a big fish in a small pond and your time will come when you will be sat next to us, in the... bargain bin where you actually belong."

As a side note, the phrase "bargain bin" sounds very British to me, which makes this paragraph even more awesome! Amer, I know you are from the U.K. so it's just par for the course to use phrases like that, but as a lover of words and language I do really like U.K. phraseology far more than American phraseology. I myself, sadly, would have probably initially thought to write something simple like "trash" if writing about the same situation. However, I feel that "bargain bin" is a far funnier, and more cutting phrase. It makes me think of when in 2009 I visited one of my best friends in London, and I went on a rant where I called something "lame." He went on a rant about the "poverty of the word 'lame' ," and proceeded to come up with far more descriptive, funny, and harsh ways to describe the silly situation I was kvetching about. Anyway, I should return to discussing the task at hand. But I had to express my appreciation.

"Respect goes a long way... and you have lost all of my respect, and I am speaking out against you."

Amer, you have my utmost respect, because it takes courage to speak out against someone who A) has power/notoriety, or B) has a small to relative amount of power/notoriety, but (aware of that fact) still holds onto it with a white-knuckled grip, throwing it in others' faces whenever possible, and having Rumpelstiltskin-esque tantrums and fits of arrogance in a continued attempt to exercise power over said "lesser" people. Speaking out against people who carry themselves like that can, at least initially, be a little terrifying. But, guess what? Like you said, respect goes a long way. And you have to give it to get it.

I'm going to go on another quick tangent (is there such a thing? I lied, it won't be quick at all), which I hope is entertaining, despite bringing up a pop-culture phenomena that I am about 99.9% positive you guys haven't latched onto. Unfortunately, in terms of some telly that I like, I can't keep myself away from the proverbial bargain bin ;-)

Onward. There are plenty of old sayings about love and fear. I'm sure of that. But, since I am unable to find any quotes that are more historical, poignant, etc., I'm going to quote a popular television show (anyone who, A, knows me, B, knows the show, or C, suspects why I like headbands, will know which one I am referring to). When speaking to her mentee, at one point, the protagonist (who is an odd yet fascinating combination of control-freak-mean-girl, while also being an out-of-control-troubled-lost-little-girl-at-heart) gives her the following advice:

"You need to be cool to be Queen. You can't make people love you... but you can make them fear you."

(I've been caught! This picture gives away which show in the bargain-bin of mass media I meant)

I've spent a great deal of time thinking about this phrase, and this concept. I'm not an aspiring world leader. Nor am I the aspiring Queen Bee of some prep school. However, this is pretty much the choice all of us have when we are given any kind of control. Power. Status. Etcetera. It boils down to using it for good, or using it for ill.

Honestly, as a woman, I've personally sometimes thought that the easier choice (at least on the surface) would be to make people fear you. Because otherwise, you can be looked at as soft, a pushover, too maternal, or whatever the hell people feel like thinking. Plus, men acting like that are just “being guys,” so if you’re a gal, you have every right to be as much of a d-bag if you choose. (Although, sidebar, it’s lame no matter what your gender to be a huge pill).

So, because of all these things? Sometimes, I’ve thought it would be a better choice. To be feared rather than cared about. If someone is afraid of you, then that person will have to respect you if he or she knows what’s good for them, right?

Nope. Wrong. At least, in my personal assessment.After having seen the other side of this equation and watched how people with any power can feel the need to STILL assert that dominance through making others afraid of them (that some ambiguous task will be performed incorrectly, sensibilities will be upset, and that said others will be inadequate or never perfect, and any myriad of things that can be nitpicked about) I’ve realized a few things. A, when people use their "power" to enable their being ridiculous human beings, it's a crock of bull, and B, it creates situations that are just too inane for words. Even if you are a woman, I still think it is better and possible to be a powerful person and not have to walk on the fear side of the fear vs. love question.

First of all, when people who aren’t Anna Wintour, Bill Gates, or Jack Kirby (had to throw in a comics person) still manage to ooze condescension and abuse what power they have, it quickly becomes clear that they don’t have very much power at all. That the constant need for perfect and control is because, on some level, of an awareness of their own inadequacies. In some cases, it is almost sad, if that kind of behavior is coming out of a place of true emptiness in the rest of their lives. If you put down someone else, it’s a way of propping yourself up (which, though personally think, is no excuse, makes an unfortunate kind of sense).

Yet, whatever the case, people will quickly lose respect for you when your demands for respect are entirely based on fear.

And I think the kind of dismissive and mean treatment you received is another side of that same coin-- it’s still a desperate attempt to make by that person to make himself feel better. To ease some nagging voice inside his head. And to (by proxy) feel more powerful, by demonstrating that he was “important” enough that he could ignore slash belittle whoever he pleased.

(I honestly don’t think that people who are truly happy with themselves, both as people and as artists, careerists, etc., bother to do this. But more on that later.)

The ultimate futility of forcing people to fear you (instead of risking them loving you) is made very obvious in the show I mentioned earlier. When the controlling Queen Bee character (who, incidentally, is very insecure, unhappy, and grasps her power like her life depends on it because it’s all she has) is feeling particularly awful, it’s when she snaps at people. She has some of her best lines in these moments, but she certainly doesn’t make any new friends. In fact, her friends (many of whom she refers to as “minions”) get sick of her dumbass power games, and some even go behind her back to get revenge, sometimes. Because I like this character, I hope they give her some growth and allow her to get over these sillier parts of her personality. But I digress.

An artist, actor, creator, or any public figure who has the opportunity to touch people has the opportunity-- and responsibility-- to do it kindly. And graciously. If they choose to strike fear into a person, or to hurt them by being dismissive, it’s a crap thing to do. But, ultimately, I think it says much more about them, and certainly nothing about the party who was dismissed.

"What you do not realise is that us artists are working our...butts off... and people like you only inspire us to be better than you."

Amen, and I’m also going to note that it’s generally a very bad idea to piss off artists, slash writers. Not only is it inspiring to be better than a person who is unimpressive. It can actually be inspiring, story-wise, to encounter such douchery. It will not be fun for the inspiration when he or she reads the story someday and sees a vague reflection of themselves. But, ultimately, it’ll give the creator a good laugh. Or at least a wry smile. And some ideas for material.

"I have realised how nasty people in the industry can be, and I have so many more stories... But all in all - You treat one person like dirt, you lose. You can't afford to treat people how you please... You may dress up... but you are there for the same reasons as the rest of the vendors, to make some dosh..."

Again, AMEN. Plus? In all honesty, I still think it's distasteful to give someone attitude if they want a free autograph. It's strange to me to have to pay for someone's signature, and stranger still that people hold themselves in such high esteem that they would be mean to someone, if that person could not afford the twenty to fifty dollar price-tag attached.

Does it mean nothing that someone wants to take the time out of his or her day, and their life, to stand on a huge line because of a love for an essential part of YOU?? (And here I mean the general "you," like the word "ustedes" in Spanish-- English's use of "you" gets damn confusing).

Seriously. If people like you that much-- be it because you wrote something that touched them, drew something, performed in a role that they saw which changed their life, or anything at all you did, said, or created meant the world to them-- if people care about YOU and YOUR ART to that large a degree, that they'd be happy to have a scrap of paper with the (likely illegible) scrawl that passes for a signature, that you write all the time without thinking about it when signing the rent check, paying a bill, etc.-- I really think that should mean something. That should mean the world to you, especially as an artist.

Through your means of expression, you can have changed or even saved a person's life. And if someone wants to take time out of their life to stand on a line, meet you, and get that illegible scrawl, a handshake, and even a picture, I think that should be payment enough.

So, insert adjectives that surpass "the poverty of the word lame" here to describe how terribly unimpressive and mean it is when after a fan's gratitude, kindness, and CASH, someone is still completely unable to act like a decent person. What I also find unfortunate in this instance is that this actor was not only rude to a fan-- that would be plenty terrible, all on its own-- but, in being rude to a fellow vendor, he was also essentially rude to a colleague. And, like you said, Amer-- all the vendors are there for the same reason. Someone with a bigger name and more money than an up and coming vendor is STILL there to hustle. Copping an attitude, in that case, is pretty precious.

"The whole idea of these people presenting themselves as big shots and thinking they are better than all of you defeats the purpose..."

SO MUCH WORD TO THE BLOG YOU WROTE, AGAIN. I can't even begin to voice how much I agree on everything you‘ve expressed.

I’ve pretty much said everything already. It’s just that I've never understood it when people who are well-known and well-liked for their craft, essentially crap all over the people who like what they do. Who buy their product, and keep a roof over their head. And all the rest of it. Being humble is a virtue, but unfortunately, many people do not have anywhere near as much humility and kindness as they ought. There are great and kind people left (which I’ll close this blog with), although there are still many who aren’t.

Amer, as you seemed to indicate, it's also kind of ironic and hilarious (not truly hilarious, but bitter smirk hilarious) that the people with the worst attitudes are the ones in small ponds. The best are the small fishes in small ponds, still dishing out tons of attitude. Like I said, in my experience and observations, people who act like this often have something else going on.

For those who are truly comfortable in themselves, the product and/or work they're putting out, and the future success of what they're doing do not behave like this. They simply don't. They’re happy with what they’re doing, and happy in the happiness of others. The thought to try and rain on another's parade, so to speak, doesn't even cross their minds.

Lynda Barry is a great example of this. She’s a famous female cartoonist, which is a big claim to fame. An even bigger claim to fame is that she is one of the most famous ALTERNATIVE cartoonists, who has made her living through her cartoons. Has this gotten to her head? Nope. She is just a joy of a person, happy to talk to people about her life, their lives, and about writing and art.

I went to a signing of hers at Skylight books (http://www.skylightbooks.com/) last Tuesday night, and she stayed until 11:00 PM that night to sign everyone’s books. And it took as long as it did, because she went out of her way to have a conversation with each and every person at the signing. Lynda spoke for quite a long time to one little girl, in particular, who had met her when she was even younger. She now looked to be in middle school, and Lynda went on and on about how she remembered meeting her when she was little, how she’d kept the picture the girl had drawn her then, and how she wanted her to keep drawing.

(Signing Away --!!)

She also smiled at one man, who mentioned that his fourteen year old daughter wrote and drew her own books, “Well, you did something right --!!” And, while happy to talk about her own work, she was very humble about her abilities, and very gracious at everyone’s compliments.

I guess there are all types in all walks of life. Maybe all of these things that fall under the umbrella of “the industry” do have real darkness in them, and maybe it’s why some people get jaded, become mean, snap, don’t appreciate fans, etc. But, overall? I really think people need to just be nicer to each other. If you’ve hit fame and fortune, then appreciate when someone appreciates what you’ve done, no matter if you're world known or not. If you’re a regular person, be nice to others, and be gracious when they’re nice to you. With so much bullying, cruelty, and total insanity erupting in the world, everyone needs to chill out. It would be nice if one day we can all take a deep breath, and all remember to be kind to one another.

And, now that this is probably the longest blog written in the history of man (or at least my blog-- and yes, I know, it’s total “tl; dr” material, and I apologize)-- I am signing off.

(Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts, David and Amer, and glad the convention was overall a good one!)

Good day! Good week. Good rain. Los Angeles has lovely sun, but I like long raincoats and pretty views of the Downtown skyline while half is golden, and the other half is gray and pouring.

Hello There! About Me

Here's my blog! When I've the time, I post here. Sometimes writing and random thoughts, but mostly with updates on projects, art fairs, and submissions to the many cool art challenges online.
I'm a New Yorker, who loves London, who lives in Los Angeles. Otherwise, I am an artist, illustrator, and freelance writer who is also a "cardtoonist." Which means, I create handmade cartoon cards- and often caption them with puns inside. I also do sequential work and contributed a story to the "Samurai Graphic Novel" anthology, released in early 2011, with info here: http://tinyurl.com/samuraigraphicnovel.
Please say hello! donna.v.letterese@gmail.com